Announcing the 2022 Recognition Awards by the Rochester Engineering Society

Nicholas Cianfrocco is a senior scientist of software engineering at L3Harris Technologies. In this role, he is involved in all aspects of embedded software to deliver critical lifesaving communication products to warfighters. 

He began his career at L3Harris after earning his master’s degree in computer science and his bachelor’s degree in computer engineering technology from Rochester Institute Technology (RIT). While he was a student, Nicholas completed internships with Intel Corporation and Lockheed Martin. During his time at RIT, he was recognized as an Outstanding Undergraduate Scholar and received multiple scholarships. He remains active with his alma mater as a member of RIT’s Industry Advisory Board to collect and provide feedback for future curriculums, as well as delivering a graduation speech in 2010. Additionally, Nicholas was an adjunct instructor, teaching introductory programming at RIT.

At L3Harris, Nicholas has received numerous awards in recognition of his innovation and leadership abilities. He stays current in his field by maintaining an active Scrum Alliance Scrum Master certification, which is relevant to the agile software development process in his current position. He also participates in technical book clubs with his peers at L3Harris to continuously advance the knowledge and skills of the team. Outside of work, he is a motocross coach and has been involved with the Fairport High School volleyball program as an assistant coach, webmaster and statistician.

Andrew Donovan is lead systems engineer at L3Harris on a major Mission Command Transport and Encryption Program for the U.S. Army. In this role, he is responsible for system architecture and design across all phases of the program, leads the team’s risk management processes and is responsible for customer-facing design reviews and technical exchanges. He also serves as the chief systems engineer for the Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) Mission Module and Handheld Video Data Link (HH-VDL) programs.

Prior to joining L3Harris in 2018, Andrew worked for Indigenous Technologies as contract support to the U.S. Army, where he was responsible for the requirements management process in the acquisition life cycle for the Army’s newest on-the-move communication network system of systems.

During his time on active duty with the U.S. Army, Andrew was a capability development manager at the Cyber Center of Excellence at Fort Gordon, Georgia, and prior to that he was selected to work with General Dynamics C4 Systems, System Support Division in Taunton, Massachusetts. In 2009 he was nominated to the Aide-de-Camp position for the Expeditionary Contracting Command at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Before his time as Aide-de-Camp, he served as the Battalion Signal for 1-14th Infantry Battalion in the 25th Infantry Division at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, with deployment to Taji, Iraq, in 2007-2009.

Andrew’s primary activity outside of L3Harris is his continued service in the U.S. Army Reserves, where he serves as a lieutenant colonel assigned to the 350th Civil Affairs Command in Pensacola, Florida, as the Assistant Chief of Staff, G6 (Signal). He is an active member of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA) and the U.S. Army Signal Corps Regimental Association (SCRA).

In addition to his education and training with the U.S. Army, Andrew received his bachelor's degree in computer science from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania and is currently working toward his master’s in system engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey.

Vladimir Fabre is a scientist in electrical engineering at L3Harris Technologies. He directs the development of high-energy-density battery packs and associated chargers and has designed multiple product innovations, which improved the availability of power and data for soldiers. Previously, as manager of electrical engineering, he supervised and mentored junior engineers.

Vladimir is a recognized technology leader and has been innovating and training others throughout his 30-plus-year career. He serves on multiple subject matter expert panels and was recently recognized as the 2023 Modern-Day Technology Leader by the Black Engineer of the Year (BEYA) Outstanding Achievement Awards. He was also selected for the L3Harris Leadership in Engineering Achievement Program (LEAP), which grows future fellows and senior scientists.

Prior to his time at L3Harris, Vladimir was at NOHMs Technologies where he was part of an advanced research team that developed lithium sulfur batteries. He spent more than 20 years as an applied research engineer at Eastman Kodak where he participated in research, design and development projects. He was integral to several critical product releases and worked on technologies, including the Organic Light Emitting Display (OLED) technology, which is used in LG OLED TVs currently on the market.

Vladimir earned his Associate of Applied Science degree, electrical technology, from New York Technical College and his Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering technology from Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT).

For three years, he was a member of Texas Instruments' New Design Customer Advisory Board and has been a member of the L3Harris Power Design Tech Forum since 2019. 

John McIntyre is a scientist in electrical engineering at L3Harris Technologies, where he is a subject matter expert, specializing in analog radio frequency and microwave circuit design as part of the Radio Frequency Hardware Engineering Team. He works to bring cutting-edge designs to production while also expanding the L3Harris patent portfolio with 11 patents awarded so far.

John studied electrical engineering at RIT, receiving the Outstanding Undergraduate Scholar Award in 2006 and graduating in 2007 with Highest Honors with his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees.

John has been recognized at L3Harris with multiple awards including the Technology Innovation Award, which he received four times. In 2017, he was honored with the 10 Under 10 Award for emerging leaders for their professional success and demonstrated leadership. He has presented several Tech Talks to the engineering community on Power Amplifier Techniques, Radio Frequency Switching Techniques, and Radio Frequency Filter Design/Simulation. John has mentored several early career engineers and taught a year-long Radio Frequency Circuit Troubleshooting class for manufacturing technicians. 

In Rochester, New York, he has served as a mentor at the Addiction and Recovery Center and volunteered with GO Ministries, a community organization that provides clothing and offers youth group and food pantry services. He is an active member at Northridge Church, where he has been a youth group leader and currently serves as a board member on the church’s oversight team as well as on the Monroe County Portal Team, which is partnered with the county’s Child Protective Services case workers.

Daniel Rice is a scientist in mechanical engineering at L3Harris Technologies. 

Daniel played an integral role in the development of the 20-meter dive radio. When the first radio developed by the original mechanical engineering team did not perform as needed in the field, he was assigned to lead the investigation and redesign effort. He developed a novel approach for evaluating immersion performance at the component level, for which he was recognized and awarded the L3Harris Cost Improvement Award in 2017. He has also received the L3Harris Reuse Innovation Award and the President’s Technology Award.

Prior to his time at L3Harris, Daniel spent nine years at Parker Hannifin working in product development and took on the added responsibility as a Research and Development Lab Manager. When Daniel joined L3Harris in 2007 as a lead mechanical engineer, he drew upon his previous experience to establish a mechanical engineering lab while also working on several new product development projects. He assumed his current role in 2019, where he is instrumental in developing mechanical engineering processes and best practices to improve design cycle time as well as reduce quality and manufacturing issues.

Additionally, Daniel is involved in the community designing and building stage props for Strike It Up Artistic Center and recently became a volunteer at Artist’s Unlimited, an organization that provides opportunities for individuals with developmental, physical or intellectual disabilities to participate in the performing arts. 

Daniel earned a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering in 1998 and a Master of Science in manufacturing management and leadership from RIT and graduated with honors.

Jason Scott is a mechanical engineering scientist at L3Harris Technologies. In his time at L3Harris, Jason has received multiple awards, including the segment-level e3 Engineering Excellence Award in 2020.

Jason joined L3Harris in 2003 as a mechanical engineer, working for the Government Communications Systems (CGS) division in Palm Springs, Florida, where he was responsible for the design and engineering of mechanical and electro-mechanical (linear actuators) systems for fiberoptic manipulation and placement devices. He joined the Tactical Communications sector in Rochester as a lead mechanical engineer in 2005, where he led a team of mechanical engineers and designers to develop the first-ever P25-capable radio produced by L3Harris for the first responders market.

In 2018, Jason was presented with the opportunity to take on an engineering manager role within the L3Harris mechanical engineering group. While his long-term development plans did not include a managerial role, he accepted the challenge and in his time as manager, Jason lead and directed a mechanical engineering staff of seven people on multiple new product development programs for both U.S. Department of Defense and international customers.

Previously, while attending the University at Buffalo, Jason worked as a mechanical design engineer at Buffalo Lifting Products, where he was involved with the direct design of structural components used in below-the-crane hook-lifting devices. He completed his Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering in 2001 and earned his Master of Business Administration from RIT.